


Fireworks

by marquisiere



Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: F/F, Linh has flashbacks, Marella comforts her, and cheetos yum, so hurt/comfort?, tw: mentions of homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:09:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marquisiere/pseuds/marquisiere
Summary: Linh’s past isn’t exactly comforting, but Marella is. Short Marellinh human AU.
Relationships: Marella Redek/Linh Song
Kudos: 8





	Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> Ack this is nerve racking.  
> I tried. Not very good but...  
> And ahhhh I got Cheetos just for the Cheetos part yum-

When Linh was six years old, the Redeks moved in.

She remembered how her mother was thrilled at the news. “I heard they have a daughter! You should socialize with more girls your age, Linh. You can’t spend your whole life with your brother.” That was what her mother had said, straightening her hair and fixing her blue dress. Linh would have complained for what seemed like the millionth time about how blue just _wasn’t_ her colour and that black simply looked _so much better_ , but she knew her father was nearby, observing like he always did. He had been the one to suggest separating her from Tam for the whole week so she could spend more time with the Redek girl.

Past Linh had hated him for that, but present Linh supposed she should have been thankful.

At the age of eight, Linh’s relationship with Marella Redek had been nothing but positive. Marella became the only other person she felt close to besides her brother. The three of them supported each other through what they had thought would be the hardest of times.

By the age of twelve, Linh and Marella became as close as ever. After a mysterious, life changing incident, Marella’s mother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The pixie-like girl was so terribly disheartened afterward that Linh had believed their classmates, or tormentors, would change their attitudes and support her friend, but none did. In fact, the oppression from peers got worse, not to mention that most began avoiding her at all times, with the ridiculous thought that her mother’s condition was contagious.

Their connections with their so-called peers might have weakened further, but their own connections strengthened. What they had wasn’t friendship－no, it had begun to progress into much more than a friendship. But twelve-year-old Linh had no friendships to compare it to, so at the time, it never crossed her mind.

Sixteen was the age Linh finally discovered her true feelings for Marella. To her surprise, Marella had felt the same feelings for her, and ended up confessing first.

It had been the best day of Linh’s life.

However, the overwhelming happiness was short-lived, as the next few days would be some of her worst.

_Why wouldn’t they just understand_? That was what she had wondered the next day. The words had echoed in her head repeatedly for what felt like _forever_ , but Linh simply kicked the floor of her room in frustration. She wanted to do a lot more－ with shattering the windows and kicking the front door down at the top of the list. She would have flooded the whole city if she could.

“Earth to Linh,” Marella’s voice interrupted her, startling Linh and snapping her back to reality. The two of them were alone on the couch in the living room of their apartment. The pixie-like girl was holding a large bag of Cheetos, popping the puffs one by one into her mouth. It was almost midnight, and the two of them were waiting. The whole city seemed unusually silent, as if holding its breath. Waiting alongside them.

Linh sat up suddenly from her spot on the couch. _Right. It’s New Year’s Eve_ , she realized. “Sorry, I zoned out,” she said, apologizing, and rested her head on Marella’s shoulder. 

“That’s fine. It’s awfully late, and this New Year’s Eve was bound to be a quiet one anyway,” Marella pointed out, placing her free arm around Linh’s shoulders. “What were you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” Linh responded, biting her lip. “Nothing important.”

Marella turned toward her and paused briefly. She smiled gently, setting her bag of Cheetos to the side. “Alright then. Anyway, you wanna dance?”

“Sure,” Linh replied, returning the smile. She felt grateful for the distraction, and when she glanced at her girlfriend as the two of them stood up, Linh couldn’t help but notice that the fierce, ice blue eyes, perfectly disordered hair, and the gorgeous smile formed the same face that comforted her. This girl was the one who saved her from nightmares. The one she poured her heart to.

Marella picked up her phone from the counter nearby, leaning against the wall. A playful classical piece started playing from the device as Marella came back with a bounce in her step. She grinned. “Ohhh, with this music, if we dance fast enough it’ll turn into exercise. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard somewhere that exercise makes people tired…” she frowned, gesturing wildly. “Wait, we’re technically supposed to try and stay awake because it’ll be New Year’s Day in… How long?”

Linh laughed, reaching to brush loose strands of hair from Marella’s face. Her bad mood had disappeared, and was replaced with the simple but immense joy that came with her girlfriend’s presence. “I think it does the opposite actually－does it matter, though?” she asked, grinning. And with that, along with the active and spirited sound of various instruments playing in the background and the passionate exhilaration felt by both of them, Linh took Marella’s hands and spun them around in circles.

Marella laughed in delight, her laughter in perfect harmony with the lively tune. They spun and spun, making Linh dizzier as the time went on, but she savored the moment as the two of them locked eyes.

Suddenly, Marella collided with the front of the couch, scattering a handful of Cheetos across it in the process. She collapsed on a seat with her back pressed against the fabric, pulling a giggling Linh along with her.

Linh laughed brightly as she laid down, effectively pinning Marella on the couch. And when the music ended, there were no more distractions. Just the two of them and the Cheetos sprinkled over Marella’s blonde hair. 

At that moment, Linh fully understood that the past shouldn’t concern her anymore. And it didn’t, because she knew the truth.

The truth was that her true family were the ones she knew she could trust and depend on. The ones who loved and accepted her just the way she was.

“I love you,” Linh whispered, gently sweeping Cheetos away from Marella’s face. Her affection grew steadily for the girl who loved her back, as the silent space around them seemed to come alive with passion.

“I love you too,” Marella whispered back from her spot on the couch, her voice thick with emotion. And at that, Linh leaned forward as fireworks started in the distance.

**Author's Note:**

> *consumes Cheetos*  
> Hey, my writing and Cheetos are alike. They’re both dangerously cheesy.


End file.
